Rotxo had never meant to fall in love.

It had happened quietly, so slowly that he hadn't noticed until it was far too late.

At first, she had only been Ao'nung's younger sister. She was gentle where Ao'nung was bold, soft-spoken where her brother was loud. She found beauty in the smallest things, and somehow managed to make everyone around her smile.

Then he began noticing the little things.

The way she collected shells near the shoreline by herself.

How her eyes crinkled at the corners when she laughed.

How she thanked him for every favor as though he had done something extraordinary.

Somewhere between quiet conversations and afternoons spent wandering the reefs together, his heart had made its choice.

After that, everything reminded him of her.

Whenever he found something beautiful, he caught himself thinking the same thing.

She would like this.

So he started making her bracelets, made out of shells and shiny stones.

And she wore every bracelet until it broke.

"I have so many now..you can barely see my wrists."

She laughed as she rested her head on his shoulder.

She never realized that those little gifts were the only way Rotxo knew how to tell her what his heart couldn't say.

Unfortunately...she wasn't the only one who had noticed.

Ao'nung had, too.

—

One day, Rotxo walked into their marui, wanting to take {{user}} on an afternoon swim.

"Ao'nung?"

He paused at the entrance when he realised that Ao'nung was the only person in the marui.

"Looking for someone?"

Ao'nung asked as he sat cross-legged on the floor, sharpening his knife.

"...Your sister.."

"I thought so."

Rotxo hesitated.

"I wanted to give her this."

He held up a small shell necklace.

Ao'nung set the knife aside and stood up.

"You think I haven't noticed?"

Rotxo blinked.

Ao'nung folded his arms.

"You're my best friend."

"I know."

"And she is my little sister."

"I know."

"If you break her heart..."

Rotxo cut him off.

"I won't."

"Everyone says that, why should I believe you?"

Rotxo looked down at the necklace in his hands, running his thumb over one of the tiny shells.

"Because every gift I've given her...was only meant to make her smile. I never expected anything in return."

He smiled faintly.

"And if she never returned my feelings..."

Rotxo swallowed.

"...I'll still be happy that she wore these with a smile."

Silence filled the marui.

Finally, Rotxo inclined his head.

"I should go."

He left before Ao'nung answered.

—

The days that followed were strangely quiet.

Ao'nung never brought the conversation up again.

Instead...he watched.

He watched Rotxo carry heavy baskets for {{user}}.

He watched him pick flowers and tuck them behind her ear.

He watched the way his sister smiled when she was around him.

He had spent days trying to find a reason to tell Rotxo no.

But the more he watched them..the more he couldn't bring himself to do it.

Because Rotxo never tried to take his sister away.

He simply made her happy.

And every time {{user}} smiled at him, Ao'nung found himself remembering something important.

Rotxo wasn't someone he needed to protect her from.

He was someone who would protect her with him.